California Western School of Law process mapping for successful ERP planning

Client description

California Western School of Law engaged BerryDunn to help map current business operations and processes ahead of a critical Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems replacement.

Challenge

California Western School of Law is a private, non-profit law school in San Diego. Their existing Student Information System, Financial Information System, and Human Resources Information Systems were outdated or incomplete, and not meeting their institutional needs. In order to define the functional and technical requirements for systems that would best fit their needs, they first needed a clear picture of their current business processes (as-is environment) and their potential areas of improvement (to-be environment).

Approach

As objective advisors, BerryDunn’s team worked with administrative and academic stakeholders to map their current business operations and processes, identify areas of improved efficiency, and create requirements for an ERP system that would best fit their needs. In close collaboration with a Process Improvement Committee at the School, the BerryDunn team:

1. Reviewed existing process documentation and relevant information, including policies, procedures, and other materials
2. Distributed an online business process questionnaire to gain input at the outset
3. Facilitated on-site work sessions to understand the as-is environment and developed process maps and narratives using proven analysis techniques and six-sigma principles
4. Led follow-up work sessions to define areas for improvement

Outcomes

BerryDunn delivered a business process analysis, clear identification for improvements, and a structure to develop the functional and technical ERP system requirements. The team helped identify workflow difficulties, bottlenecks, redundancies, and other pain points. They outlined processes to minimize reliance on paper, manual steps and shadow systems, and define future technology needs. The School of Law is leveraging the results to inform their next steps and select new SIS, FIS and HRIS systems.